I’m a Primary School Headteacher. Ask me anything!

[RonnieOnion]

This is not a TAAT, but I’ve just read one in AIBU about teachers/wine/holidays and it got me thinking.
What do you really want to know about us? Obviously I can only answer from my own personal experience.

@RayneDance
How do you you feel about politics creeping into the the classroom. And teachers personal views coming into play when parents want to go for 11+ etc.
I don’t think it’s helpful. I wouldn’t expect any of my staff to express an opinion that could sway a parent (and we do hold sway with many).

How do you feel about the balance between highly disruptive, pupils, aggressive, sometimes violent, constantly rude, very bad language etc against average pupils.
I’m unsure what you mean by this, but there aren’t many children like that, fortunately. When children do present like that, there’s usually a reason.

How would they you react if about 10 parents in a class said for years they had to pay for help from outside the school because of poor teaching.
I’d be surprised that they hadn’t voted with their feet, tbh.

@RayneDance
One more question! the parents of dc who are constantly problematic ( no sn) do they get told every time the child hurts someone or is taken out of class
Yes. We don’t tell parents all the same squabbles and tantrums of the school day, but we would definitely tell them about those incidents. We would be working with them to change it.

@RideSallyRide76
Have you ever bought stuff for a child/family out of your own pocket just because nobody else was prepared to help?
Yes, many times. But it’s done carefully. For example, we had a parent going into a refugee who had left with nothing. We asked staff for donations of clothes, toys and toiletries for specified ages (without them knowing why, or who for) and we passed things to Mum. Children just thought she’d been shopping. That’s just one example of many different scenarios.

@Anon12345ABC
what do you think when a parent applies for a new school for a child at yours? I've done this with DS and he may have to wait for a space at our preferred school, it isn't because we are moving. I have emailed and informed the Head but I get the feeling he isn't impressed and I'm concerned about my DCs being treated differently whilst they are there.

Sadly, I can’t talk for all schools but I’ve never worked in a school where this was an issue. Not all schools suit all children and we can’t always resolve things to everyone’s satisfaction.
The head might feel a bit peeved but I doubt they’d take it out on a child.

Thanks Ronnie.

Our head suggested this and the parents said they felt they would be punishing the child. Two parents did pull pupils out.

what are your thoughts about logoed school stuff from a single shop?

Have you ever told a HT that they can't do the "everything has to be from shop A", it has to be put out to tender?

Do you do "the Class Bear" thing?

No questions, but I wanted to say thanks for doing the job you do. I think that being a headteacher is one of the hardest roles in education. They never seem to stop! I bailed after a term as acting deputy and trained as an EP.

I feel sad when posters talk of empathy removal and sorry that this is their experience. Sometimes, I can see that it's justified. But last week I sat with a secondary head, who has a reputation for sternness, as he cried for a child in his school. People are mostly doing their best.

not rtft but question re summer born children starting reception a year late. Why do the majority of heads seem to be against this? i would have thought they would be positive, given that an older child will likely need a lot less help when they start, and may do better in later Sats etc. Are there reasons most dont seem to support this?

why do projects / models etc that are 90% parent and 10% child always get displayed at the front, when my DD hands something in (she is 8) it is 90% her work at least but then she gets discouraged as it isn't as good as some others; but I feel that me doing her homework is counterproductive it will fool no-one long term. she does 100% of spelling maths etc homework.

how do you really feel about some of the rules that seem to stop kids doing kids stuff like climbing trees, playing conkers, walking home alone or with friends; we all know that really less children are involved in car accidents than 10, 15,20 years ago, harm to children from total strangers has not changed in past 50 years yet I walked home on my own from age 7? we seem to treat children as babies till about 11 then suddenly in 6 weeks they are expected to travel 3 miles on a bus by themselves. I really do not think that fundamentally the UK is more dangerous than France Norway Germany when walking home from school without parents is considered completely normal for 7 year olds

I think most teachers are brilliant and head teachers must be as fed up as those of us in NHS with directives, box ticking exercises, a special language which actually excludes patients and/ or parents and pupils by not being plain English all of which stop us doing the job we actually want to do

Hi, I wonder if you are still about for this thread? Our Head Teacher whom we've had issues with from Reception is not supporting our son's Year 3 transition. Panel stated a Mainstream with High Coin. The Head Teacher is putting off schools coming in, she is saying he cannot be in a mainstream class of 30 and won't discuss strategies these visiting schools do. He's a happy little chappy, no disruptive behaviour problems. We feel this is now about her ego as she wanted him out in Reception as he was not accessing the curriculum very well. They did not want to wait for us to get a diagnosis. The SEN Teacher left so it's all being run by teachers. If I bring up our parental view she just point blank won't discuss. If we complain I feel they are going to close ranks,

I was going to ask if you have any advice?